Robert elliott



(No Model.)

R. ELLIOTT. FLOAT GOLD GOLLEGTING DEVICE.

A TTOHNE Y S UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.V

ROBERT ELLIOTT, OF PAULLINA, IOVA.

FLOAT-GOLD-COLLECTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,743, dated October 20, 1891.

Application filed June 16, 1891. Serial No. 396,478. (No niodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT ELLIOTT, of Paullina, in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Float-Gold-Oollecting Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

v The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for collecting and saving floating or scale gold in rivers or streams which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, and easily manipulated.

The invention consists in certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims. l

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification,

in which the iigure is a perspective view of' the improvement.

The improved tloat-gold-collecting device is provided with a sieve or seine A, made of bolti-ng-cloth or other suitable lnaterial and stretched transversely through the water in a river or stream, the upstream end B being somewhat lower than the downstream side B', so that the water readily iioats or passes into and through the sieve, the higher end B', however, preventing passage of floating gold, which latter is thus collected in the sieve. The ends O and C' are open, pointing to the banks of the river or stream. The sides B and B', as well as the ends O C'are lined with suitable material, a strip or strips D being fastened to the sieve between the ends C and C', so as to prevent the sieve from being torn. On the lower part of the ends and the center strips are secured weights E, so that the sieve hangs in bag-like fashion in the water of the river or stream. It is understood that the meshes of the sieve are sufficiently close to retain the float-gold carried down by the water in the river. On the sides B B' are secured a series of links F F', respectively adapted to hook onto the hooks G2, formed on sets of rods G G', each provided at its upper end with an eye G3, engaging a transversely-extending bar or rod H or H', respectively supported on sets of posts I I', respectively fastened into the ground on4 the banks of the river or stream. It is understood that two of the posts of the sets of posts I and l' are on one side of the stream or river, while the other posts are on the opposite side.

The sides B and B' are connected at one end of the sieve with the ropes J and J', re-

spectively extending transversely and passing over pulleys K K', journaled ony the posts at one side of the river, as plainly shown in Fig. l, the ropes then passing again back to the other side and over pulleys L- and L', journaled in bearings on the other side of the river. hang downward on. the posts and carry handles J2 for conveniently pulling on the said ropes. 'A second set ot ropes N and N is fastened to Vthe sides B and B' of the sieve close to the fastenin g ends of the-ropes J and J',this set of ropes N and N' passing over the pulleys L and L', which are made double for this purpose and hang down 011 the posts on one side of the river.

When the device is in position, as shown in the drawing, the sieve extends transversely through the water in the river or stream with the upstream side B lower than the downstream side B', so that the float or scale gold passing down the river is caught by the sieve and retained therein. When the sieve has been retained in the water for some time and the operator desires to remove the collected gold, he then pulls on the handles J2 of the ropes J and J', so that vthe end O'of the sieve is drawn transversely to the opposite end, so as to form the sieve into a bag, which can be removed by the operator by unhooking the links F and F' from the hooks G2 ot' the rods G and G'. The bag can then be washed out, so as to obtain the float-gold. Then this has been accomplished, the sieve is again hooked by the links F F' onto the respective hooks of the rods G G', and then the operator pulls on the handles N2 of the ropes N and N', 'so that the end O'of the bag is again drawn across the river to stretch the sieve through the water to the former position, as shown and described.

It is understood that when the operator draws the sieve into abagged position by pull- The ends of the ropes J and J' then IOO ing on the ropesJ J', as previously described, Y

along With this end of the sieve to be in position for pulling the sieve back to its original position after the sieve has been cleaned ot' the gold collected therein.

The sides B B are adjusted vertically on the rods G G', according to the depth of the Water in the river or stream. The ends C C are provided with eyes for conveniently attaching a second sieve or seine A,.if desired, and in case the Width of the river necessitates an extension.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A float-gold-collectin g device for streams, provided with a sieve crossing the stream and formed of suitable iiexible fabric, the downstream longitudinal edge of the sieve being uppermost, substantially as set forth.

2. A tloat-gold-collecting,r device for streams, provided with a sieve crossing the stream and formed of iiexible fabric, the longitudinali edges of which are uppermost to form a troughslike structure and the upstream edge being the lower ot' the two, substantially as set forth.

3. A tloat-gold-collecting device provided with a flexible suspended sieve extending transversely across the water in a stream or river, the ends of the sieve being open, the upstream side being lower than the downstream side, and Weights hung on the bottom of the sieve to retain the same in position, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a float-gold-collecting device, the combination, with a sieve extending transversely across the water in a stream or river, of means, substantially as described, for supporting the sides of the said sieve, and means for drawing one end of the sieve toward the other, and vice versa, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a float-gold-collectin g device, the combination, with sets of posts set at opposite sides of a stream or river and carrying guiderods, of rods iitted to slide 011 the said guiderods, and a sieve adapted to be hooked on its ends to the said sliding rod, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a float-gold-collecting device, the combination, with sets of posts arranged on opposite sides of a stream or river and carrying transversely-extending guide-rods, of rods fitted to slide on the said guide-rods and provided with hooks, a sieve extending transversely across the Water in the stream or river, and links held on the sides of the said sieve and adapted to be hooked onto the hooks oi' the sliding rods, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a float-gold-collecting device, the combination, with sets of posts arranged on opposite sides of a stream or river and carryingtransversely-extending guide-rods, of rods iitted to slide on the said guide-rods and provided with hooks, al sieve extending transversely across the water in the stream or river, links held on the sides of the said sieve and adapted to be hooked onto the hooks of the sliding rods, and weights held on the lower ends of the said sieve to retain the same in position, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a oat-gold-collecting device, the combination, with sets of posts set at opposite sides of a stream or river and carrying guiderods, of rods fitted to slide on the said guide rods, a sieve adapted to be hooked on its ends to the said sliding rods, and a set of ropes con nected with one end ofthe said sieve and passing over pulleys on the said posts to open the said sieve, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a iloatgold-collecting device, the combination, with sets of posts set at opposite sides of a stream or river and carrying guiderods, of rods fitted to slide on the said guiderods, a sieve adapted to be hooked on its ends to the said sliding rods, a set of ropes connected with one end of the said sieve and passing over pulleys on the said posts to open the said sieve, and a second set of ropes also connected with the end of the sieve and passing over one set of pulleys to close the said sieve, sub stantially as shown and described.

ROBERT ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

GEO. HAKEMAN, L. N. B. LA RUE. 

